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Dr. Wayne Jacobsen Appointed Head of Anesthesiology at UA College of Medicine – Tucson

Wayne K. Jacobsen, MD, FCCM, has been appointed head of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson. After serving as interim head since 2013, he was appointed the department head on Jan. 5.

Dr. Jacobsen, who also is UA professor of anesthesiology, previously served as director of the department’s residency program for nine years and prior to that was chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Loma Linda, Calif.

Dr. Jacobsen joined the UA anesthesiology team in 2004 as professor of clinical anesthesiology and associate head for education. In 2005, he also became director of the anesthesiology residency program. Dr. Jacobsen’s research interests include ischemic reperfusion and medical education. He replaced Steven J. Barker, MD, PhD, who served as department head since 1995.

“Dr. Jacobsen’s leadership and dedication to medicine and medical education will help to advance the clinical experience, educational opportunities and research programs at the UA Department of Anesthesiology," said Joe G.N. “Skip” Garcia, MD, UA senior vice president for health sciences and interim dean of the UA College of Medicine -- Tucson.

Dr. Jacobsen earned his medical degree in 1973 from Loma Linda University, where he also completed a residency in anesthesiology in 1975 and a fellowship in surgical intensive care in 1977. He completed a fellowship in pediatric intensive care in 1978 at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario.

In 1979, he joined Loma Linda University and was director of the surgical trauma intensive care unit at Loma Linda University Medical Center from 1991 to 2002. He was chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine from 1995 to 2002. From 2003 to 2004, he was chief of anesthesiology at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Loma Linda.

Dr. Jacobsen’s professional memberships include the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Association of University Anesthesiologists, Arizona Society of Anesthesiologists, International Anesthesia Research Society, Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Walter MacPherson Society, American Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists and the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.

He has written numerous articles in scientific journals, including the Journal of Graduate Medical Education; Canadian Journal of Anesthesia; Problems in Anesthesia; Artificial Cells, Blood Substitutes and Biotechnology; and the Journal of Neurosurgical Anesthesiology. He has authored or co-authored several book chapters and is editor of the Manual of Post Anesthesia Care, and co-editor of Principles of Critical Care.